A Dream Fulfilled
by Mockingbird Quester
Summary: The prequel to "A Chance to Walk in Dreams" and the story of how T'Lema came to be born. Yes, it looks like that universe is going to be an entire series of fics I'll be posting ;


So the whole idea of having children hadn't been all that odd. Vulcans were being encouraged to help repopulate their race and once he felt settled in their relationship and his career, Jim Kirk didn't have any issues against them either. He actually looked forward to a chance to be the father he had never had as a child. Starfleet had become much more family-friendly in the previous years, in an attempts to keep their members serving as long as possible.

It was fairly simple to have a uterus implanted that could sustain a pregnancy in human males - that had been perfected a century ago. They were advised by McCoy that is would be safer for Jim to carry a baby, since they couldn't be sure how Spock's hybrid physiology would react. All very simple.

Then there were more tests to determine if any genetic combination from Kirk and Spock would be compatible, and somehow in the process it was determined that Spock's sperm count was low. Maybe even non-existent. 'Cause, oh yeah? Hybrids of different species? Almost always sterile and needed a lot of genetic manipulation to have offspring.

They had been together nearly eight years at that point. They were bonded on Vulcan and married on Earth. Spock had felt an obligation to pass on his genes, especially since his older self had not. He was the last survivor of his house, other than his father.

It was absolutely unfair that they have to deal with this too, after Spock had lost so much, both his mother and his planet. Jim told him as much that night, lying beside him in bed.

Spock simply gave him his humans-are-so-illogical look and noted that no one said the universe was "fair".

"We could let a clinic map out our genetics and try to combine them. It might not take many years…" Jim suggested.

"Jim, it may not be logical to wait to start a family. The process could last years only to finally determine our genes aren't even compatible."

"Spock, your dad said it took ten years for Vulcan scientists to manipulate your genes and create you. You're right, I mean, I'm already in my mid-thirties and we can't take that kind of time to start a family, especially with the uterus implants having so many complications in older men…"

"Then we will have an entirely human child. It is not logical to waste time on unsuccessful attempts to combine our genes."

"Spock, I know what contributing to the Vulcan species meant to you. Are you sure?"

"T'hy'la, I will be content to help raise any child that is part of you. It will be enough." His voice was calm and confident as ever, but Jim could see disappointment in his eyes.

They didn't speak of it anymore that night. The rest of the night was spent with Jim's silent tears over the possibility of their own child, and he and Spock comforting one another, physically and emotionally. It was a long, sleepless night.

But the next morning, they moved forward with their shared decision.

"So the next question is, who should form the other part of the human genes?" Jim asked over breakfast, as though it was a perfectly normal thing to discuss.

McCoy laughed when they approached him to be a donor. Truthfully, although Jim was close to the doctor, Spock hadn't been completely comfortable with the idea. Although he and McCoy had often come together over the years in concern over Jim when he was injured, they were still only grudging friends. Besides, McCoy had made it quite known that his daughter Joanna would be his only child, if he had any say in the matter.

Lt. Sulu on the other hand, was not adverse to the idea. His own family had been requesting grandchildren for a few years, but Chekov was still young and didn't feel quite ready to start a family. Being a surrogate father would make his mother happy, but still give he and his partner some freedom. Jim liked the thought that their child could have dark hair and eyes like Spock, even if their child wouldn't be Vulcan. It seemed the perfect solution.

So, it wasn't long before Jim was prepared to received their embryo. Everything seemed to go well, and the only negative seemed to be that Spock was avoiding coming with Jim during any of the tests or procedures. Jim let him make his excuses, knowing he needed time to deal with his own reaction to the situation.

Still, Spock smiled when Jim announced over a game of chess a few weeks later that the embryo had implanted and was developing normally, and he agreed to accompany Jim to the appointment where they would be able to view a 3-D scan of the baby. Now that it was actually a reality, he seemed pleased with the news. It still broke Jim's heart though.

Then it was 12 weeks later, and they were in the specialist's office, viewing the scans onscreen as the doctor pointed out various elements of the fetus. It was a little girl, and even Spock seemed happy as they watched her move around and touch her hands to her mouth.

It was Doctor McCoy, also present in the room who pointed out an anomaly to the prenatal specialist almost immediately. They moved to confer together, and Jim felt his heart in his throat. He turned to Spock, and saw the same expression his lover usually reserved for a fascinating specimen in the science lab. In the background, he heard the doctor's speaking quietly. "Scans of the fetus show copper based blood, man! That's not normal!"

But Spock had moved closer to the screen and was muttering to himself quietly as Jim glared at him for his lack of concern. "Fascinating. The heart is not in the position of a human heart. It almost appears in the location of the Vulcan organ, and her ears…"

Jim noticed what his lover meant. "Do they look almost pointed to you?" he asked, not daring to hope.

They were looking at each other in stunned amazement, when McCoy came up to them and clapped Spock on the back, crowing "Leave it to you, you green-blooded hobgoblin! To be the first non-sterile hybrid on record!"

"Dammit, Bones! Do you mean?" Jim asked.

"Your kid's father isn't Sulu. Looks like you and the pointy eared elf managed just fine on your own. Must have implanted your own kid the same day the embryo was introduced to the uterus, and it never occurred to anyone to check the baby's genetics. We were just glad it was developing on schedule. You crazy idiots!"

Jim and Spock had been together a number of years, but Jim could honestly say he had only seen his lover smile once, when he had thought Jim was dead and had discovered he was wrong.

His Vulcan bondmate was smiling now, and Jim had never seen him so happy. All their hopes were fulfilled in that moment, and Jim found himself laughing until his sides hurt, with sheer joy.

Later that night there was a party in the recreation room. Jim and Spock were the center of attention, passing around holos of their developing child, and both of them taking immense pleasure in pointing out their daughter's slightly curled ears.

Sulu watched the Captain and First Officer nearly glow with pride, and wondered how he would break the news to his parents that there would be no grandchild after all.

Chekov came over to him carrying two drinks. Sulu took one and they both watched as Spock reached out to gently touch Jim's stomach, and the other man let it linger a moment before grasping it and moving it away with a stern look, only to follow it with a laugh at the disappointed expression in Spock's eyes. When Spock's hand moved back over his mate's stomach again, the Captain let it stay.

"Hikaru, I have been thinking of something…" his Russian lover said softly.

"What, Pavel?"

"Maybe twenty-five is not so young. Maybe we should start to make preparations for a family of our own."

Sulu was more than a little surprised by his suggestion.

"Pavel, you said you wanted to wait until you were a little older and your career was more stable! Don't feel like you have to do this…"

"I'm not feeling like that. Maybe these things, they are not so important. Maybe I want to have a child with you…"

They both stood silently for long moments, realizing their entire relationship was about to change forever, before Sulu finally spoke first.

"Well, my mother would want us to be married before we gave her grandchildren."

"Is that a proposal, Hikaru?"

"Would the answer be yes if it is?"

Chekov smiled in response, and Sulu suddenly found himself being embraced and kissed within an inch of his life and their crewmembers cheered them on.

Five months later, T'Lema had been welcomed into the world, strong and healthy. She had her Vulcan father's brown eyes, according to her genetic mapping, but they were still the strange blue-grey of a newborn human at first. Her ears met in a delicate point and her blood was most definitely greenish and copper-based.

She was more active than a Vulcan infant though, and definitely louder, but her telepathic father was often able to calm her with a mental caress. Within her first few days of life, she became a content baby, although she did eat almost constantly.

The crew became used to seeing the Captain up on the bridge cradling his newborn daughter against his chest, or Spock carrying the baby in the Vulcan version of a baby sling as she slept. The new fathers began ensuring that only one of them was off ship during any mission, but when they both had to leave for some reason, there were a plethora of crew members willing to care T'Lema until their return.

The newly married Chekov and Sulu were her honorary uncles and had taken some babysitting shifts in preparation for having their own child someday soon. Chekov was surprisingly good at keeping her content, and began quoting research on childrearing on the bridge so often that Spock threatened to block all 'net access until T'Lema was an adult.

It was Sulu who had chosen to have the uterus implanted and although none of the embryos had been implanted yet, they fully expected to be welcoming their own son or daughter into the world in the future year.

Meanwhile, one day on the bridge Uhura was besides Spock looking curiously at the baby girl snuggled against her Vulcan father.

"T'Lema… That's the Vulcan word that means a _dream walk_, correct?" she asked.

"That is the literal meaning of the word. It is actually a description of using a psychic bond to sense one's mate, but the name seemed apt."

Uhura smiled gently as Spock continued to speak quietly. "She is the physical manifestation of a dream I believed to be most improbable."

Uhura stroked a gentle finger across the baby's dark hair and replied, "Then her name is quite fitting."

Uhura graced Spock with a warm and caring smile, the gentle affection of a one-time lover turned friend. Spock regarded her in the serious way she knew meant he had something to ask of her.

"Nyota, in the event that Jim and I are no longer alive to care for her, T'Lema would fall under my father's guardianship as the heir of the House of Surak. If this were to happen, would you ensure T'Lema is given human influences in her development?"

"Spock, are you asking me to be her _godmother_?"

"That… might be the closest human approximation."

Nyota Uhura smiled down at the sleeping baby once again. "I would be most honored, dear friend."

Most gratifying of all, had been the look on Spock Prime's face when a six week old T'Lema was brought to New Vulcan for her naming ceremony. He had held her as though she were made of spun sugar, as if he feared she would melt or break in his grasp, and his expression had been one of stunned amazement at her very existence. Her grandfather Sarek seemed to be having problems controlling his own emotions regarding the child as well, and took great delight in constantly taking possession of her from his son and son's bondmate.

There were none of the disapproving whispers that had accompanied Spock's naming ceremony due to his father daring to have a human mate. With their population decimated, more and more hybrid children were being born and accepted on New Vulcan.

It was with great celebration, at least on the part of the humans attending, that _T'Lema Amanda Kirk cha'Spock_, of the house of Surak, clan of the Eye, was publicly presented at her naming ceremony and acknowledged as the direct heir of her family line. She was the fulfillment of many people's hopes and dreams for the future, and would remain so throughout her life.


End file.
